Hello lovely people… Well in the northern hemisphere of the world right now, it’s practically nearly just about almost summer now. At least that is what my thermometer is telling me. The days are getting hot, hot, hotter and the A/C is crankin. Walking outside for any length of time with the sun beating down on me and I’m ready to dive into a pool. Yes I’m a wuss. I won’t lie. I’m not a hot weather girl. Too much Michigan in me. So you won’t find me heading out in the heat of the day without a cold bottle of something to keep me cooled off.

Fortunately, oOo Studio has a great new set of poses just for that! Out today for Fifty Linden Fridays is a set of 5 poses all with a cold one in hand (bottle prop included) perfect for those hot summer days. Also, newly released is this sporty set by GizzA complete with sneakers and color changing HUDs for your top and bottoms. Each color set has 3 options, for a total of 12 color choices in all.

Sometimes it’s exhausting being the good girl all the time. I work hard and rarely take time to go out and have fun and so sometimes with a little coersion (and alcohol) I can be persuaded to let loose and have some fun. Although in the wrong company that can get me into trouble…this particular night… a LOT of trouble. It was just a little dance! I thought it was an open stage honestly. I mean… I can move just as good as the other girls up there. And it’s not like I got so tipsy my top came off… (at least I don’t think it did).

This is my first offense! I think the cops should’ve gone easier on me. I probably would’ve gotten off with a warning if that girl hadn’t called me a “hookah”. I mean, wow… How rude! I might’ve shoved her…but it’s not my fault she can’t keep balanced in her stripper heels. Besides… the boys seated off stage caught her, she didn’t even get hurt. It was really all a misunderstanding. I’m normally a good girl! Really I am!

So for anyone who’s somewhat aware of the events of Second Life.. This week marks the first week of the June round for The Arcade! >insert applause and cheering followed by crying over empty pockets< I must warn you, there is some super cute stuff out there and all I can say is… GOOD LUCK! I’m showing off the new London Hair from Exile as well as the India skintone of Glam Affair’sLivy Skin both available at Arcade.

But the feature piece I really want to show off is this exquisite necklace from a store called Empyrean Forge that specializes in original, one of a kind, mesh fantasy pieces. Currently they are only available on Marketplace as they are cranking out new pieces. I’m sure you will be seeing much more of them in the roleplay / fantasy community events and elsewhere. Most of their items are HUD color/texture changing for the metals and stonework, allowing you to customize it to whatever look you need. Definitely go check them out as well as get your bum over to Arcade and have a little fun! Summer is a comin’! Happy Shopping! ❤

Have you ever been told you’re naive? Gullible? Too nice? Too forgiving? Too sensitive? You just wouldn’t get hurt so much if only you toughened up and became as cynical as the rest of the world right? Wouldn’t life be better if you were just always on the guard and never really let people in? Oh and don’t even think of actually getting to know someone for yourself .. you should always listen to what everyone else has to say and judge others accordingly.

If my sarcasm isn’t completely obvious.. then let me be clearer. Being a nice person isn’t a weakness. Being kind to others and trying to put yourself in their shoes isn’t ‘uncool’. Treating others as you wish to be treated doesn’t have to be an aging tradition that has no place in our society today… but yet, it kind of is becoming that way. Very sadly so. If people put more effort into biting their tongue or thinking before speaking as they do with cutting others down or maybe even replacing such hate with love… there would be a lot less tears. A lot more people that didn’t feel so alone. And a lot more people that didn’t feel ending their lives was better than living their lives.

Words can be powerfully healing… And powerfully destructive. The internet has paved a way for people to expose their darker selves and hurt or lash out in anonymity. And then there are the ones full of pride who revel in the fact that they don’t need to hide to speak their minds. Because their truth is their right to speak, and it doesn’t matter the cost or who it hurts. They overshadow those that aren’t brave and feel they have no voice. They overshadow those that only wish to keep peace and speak with understanding and empathy. Humor is a two-faced mask used to twist the blade and then turn and ridicule you for being too easily offended. Sometimes it makes me want to scream, sometimes it makes me want to throw my hands up and walk away. How did we become like this?

Have I been hurt? Yes. And I will continue to take that risk because in the end… I am happier to be a Sweet Summer Child full of all the hope that there is still some good left out there. I will cling to that notion, because the alternative is far more saddening to me. I’ve seen what years of pride and cynicism can do to a heart. I choose love.

This week with Maya Angelou’s passing I couldn’t help but share some of her wisdom. I am grateful that it has survived so long and really pray it would continue to do so. Our lives would all be much richer for having soaked up some of it and practiced it.

“We cannot change the past,but we can change our attitude toward it.Uproot guilt and plant forgiveness.Tear out arrogance and seed humility.Exchange love for hate — thereby,making the present comfortable and the future promising.”

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In the flush of love’s light we dare be brave…And suddenly we see that love costs all we are and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free.

It’s enough, that I knowOur time had a homeIn your heart was a placeBut the glass always breaksFrom the start we were braveYet it all seemed amazing

Now II wanna knowWhat it took to leave meNow II wanna knowHow would you fallHow would you

Goodbye and it starts to snowIn the streets of MexicoGoodbye, I am left aloneIn the streets of Mexico

Even now as I layThere’s a space you used to takeIf I’d have knownWhat we madeWould be gone like yesterdayI’d have lovedYou with graceI’d have fought the darkness awayAll your liesShowed my wayNow I’m lost between the faces

Goodbye and it starts to snowIn the streets of MexicoGoodbye, I am left aloneIn the streets of Mexico

I’ve been a fan of medieval history and the renaissance for years, enamored with the pageantry and chivalry, the poetry and the art. It’s all pretty fascinating. This also explains my obsession with shows like Game of Thrones or The Tudors. In fact, the very first time I ever tried to roleplay in Second Life was on the medieval sim of Avalon. I admit it didn’t last too long, but I’ve always appreciated the RPing community in SL and can definitely see the draw for people to play.

Thanks to events like We ❤ Roleplay and the Fantasy Gacha Carnival, you now have places to shop featuring some of the best RP content creators offering new items monthly! I hadn’t ever been to the Fantasy Gacha Carnival before and was pleasantly surprised at all the beautiful creations. Being a gacha event, it’s definitely a money-sucker, but if you’re determined you can come out with some pretty amazing stuff. I was inspired by so many of the things I saw, my brain was bursting with ideas. In addition this round of We ❤ Roleplay was chocked full of awesome designs. I had to visit the Linden ATM before my trip was done.

The photos I have done here were inspired by and centered around the [bauwerk] Banquet table that is available at the Fantasy Gacha Carnival. I imagined a grand castle banquet hall lit with torches and candlelight, adorned in tapestries and banners, a table full with bountiful feast and the more I shopped, the more it came together. {Junbug}‘s lovely period dress from We ❤ Roleplay was the perfect clothing choice for such a merry feast.

One item that I want to show off to you that isn’t from either event, however, is this gorgeous necklace from an up and coming store called Empyrean Forge. The details and texturing are very well done, and I’m pretty picky about my mesh. And definitely about my jewelry. So I was quite impressed with this piece and looking forward to seeing more from them. They have a few items out on marketplace currently and I’ve been told many more to come in the next several weeks.

I may not be a hardcore RPer but you don’t have to be to enjoy all these goodies. For me it’s just about imagination and playing dress up from time to time.

It’s been wayyyy to long since blogging last. And oh how I’ve missed it. Perhaps I missed shopping in SL more… and I more than made up for my time away. Trying to catch up on all the events I’ve missed since being buried in schoolwork proved to be a lot of work, if you count opening and closing my virtual wallet work.

Joking aside, I was glad I made it back just for the tail end of The Liason Collaborative‘s Tuscanny round. And though it’s ending soon, these items from TLC: The Boutique, The Garden, and Poser Pavilion will all still be available in their stores after the 15th. In addition to the beautiful scenery, I have a very cute new dress from GizzA called “Cookie” that can be worn alone or as I’ve done pairing it with some skinny capris from Coquet. I love that this dress is HUD controlled to change to different colors and there are several styles available as well as the floral I’m wearing. Definitely helps the inventory and mine can take all the help it can get. Belleza has also just recently put out their full line of Ria Skins. Lastly gotta give credit to Mr. Truth Hawks for consistently bringing us beautiful hair.. the man must be a machine. This style called “Elyse” is just one of the many new hairs he’s put out lately and I love it’s playful casual look.

I hope to be able to blog more again now that my spring classes are at an end… going to enjoy all the pretty things of SL! I hope you’re enjoying them as well. ❤ Happy Shopping!

My life is a constant ever-moving roller-coaster ride of ups and downs and all arounds… A to-do list that never gets shorter than a half a page and the “have to’s” far outweigh the “want to’s”. But sometimes in the middle of all the craziness I just stop and put all the deadlines and chores aside and just do something, anything…for me. It’s necessary, not only for my own emotional well-being, but the physical too.

A couple years ago when I was in the middle of a huge RL move and building a home and trying to keep it all together, stressed beyond belief, I was diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. Often mimicking depression, most doctors dole out anti-depressants and send you on your way. But I learned that the effects of stress on your body physically… are very real. My body showed me that it was done. It had run out of gas and I was going for the crash, by my back going out on me out of nowhere. I didn’t do anything, I didn’t twist wrong or pick up something heavy. I was standing there and it just hit me. After taking a couple tests I discovered my cortisol levels had peaked and plummeted resulting in a body that wasn’t able to recover from things like.. a back going out. It took months of chiropractic therapy and relying on narcotics just to get me through the rigors of moving and on to a less stressful life. But I’m a chronic “yes” person. So I would have to learn to say “no” more, to not take on more than I can handle, and to make time for things that I enjoy and relax me.

This week marks one year since I started this blog. I’d been taking photos for long before that in Second Life, and had always enjoyed it, but sometimes you want to switch things up and try something different, so taking it to a blog format was new and exciting. It is not and never has been a job for me, but rather a hobby, and I do it because it is something I enjoy. The past few months I’ve had to slow down on all things SL because of starting school in RL but coming back to do a few pictures like this here and there are for my well-being..for my creative outlet… and I’m just glad you all let me share it with you.

Firstly the big news here is ARCADE IS OPEN!!! Yes, I’m late on the announcement but I’ve been pretty side-tracked with starting back to school at the beginning of this year. It’s been requiring a great deal of my time and so I’ve had to step back from SL considerably, however, I couldn’t miss out on Arcade. It’s truly one of my favorite events, but omgosh I just can’t ever control my spending. Each round overwhelms me with the cuteness and creativity and I want ALL THE THINGS! So here I had to show off to you this wonderful set of book inspired pieces from Vespertine… The bookstore building is the perfect little reader’s hideaway to become immersed into your imagination. Make sure you take a peek at my credits below to see all the other great items that you can find at Arcade, with the exception of my outfit which is a new release from GizzA! This dress is sexy yet flirty and can take on a casual look or go more ‘night out on the town’ as it’s available in a non-argyle more glitzy fabric as well. The neck cowl is also optional.

Since Ms. Strawberry Singh decided to do a book meme last week coinciding with my very literary blogpost, I thought I’d go ahead and take part! So here you go…

Are you a bookworm? – Sadly no. I actually envy those that read regularly, getting lost in a book for hours. I remember doing that as a young teen. Reading a whole book in a day, but nowadays I’m lucky if i make it to page 20 without falling asleep. I suppose it depends on the subject matter though. I just rarely have time to do it. And I’m one of those unfortunate people that can’t read on a plane or in a car due to motion sickness.

Which do you prefer: hardcover, paperback or electronic? – I think either hardcover or paperback would be my choice. I haven’t really tried to get into electronic formats. I have an iPad but have never downloaded a book for it. I do read a lot of articles or magazines electronically just not books.

Which book is your favorite? – Hmmm well this has changed several times over the years when I did take time to read. But I admit I have a bit of a naughty streak for literature. My current book is from “The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy” by Anne Rice and they were recommended to me by a friend who knew I had a penchant for the risque. They are very.. graphic yet intriguing to me. Prior to that collection my favorite was Nicci French’s “Killing Me Softly” which is an erotic thriller.

Which children’s book is your favorite? – I really love kids’ books too. Dr. Seuss was always a long time favorite author, particularly “Fox in Socks”. I’ve read it so much that I’m pretty fast at all the tongue-twisters. I also love the Pigeon book series by Mo Willems because they are interactive. And I love reading aloud to little ones using silly voices and stuff. 😛

What’s the last book you’ve read? – The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty (book 1 from above)

Name a book that had a strong impact on you: – The Pearl by John Steinbeck .. I read it in the 8th grade but the story is still very much embedded in my mind. It really emphasized to me the darkness of greed and how one decision can impact your entire life.

Favorite & least favorite book genres? – Well I guess you can tell I really enjoy the erotic novels, but ever since I was young I also loved suspense/mystery/thrillers because they keep my attention and excitement. I do also love Romance /Drama because of the feels. I don’t get into non-fiction lest I feel like I’m reading a textbook for school.

Favorite & least favorite book-to-movie adaptions? – I don’t think I have a major opinion on this. I know a lot of people get really upset about movies butchering books, but perhaps I don’t analyze it to that extent.

Have you ever bought a book based on the cover alone? – I’m sure I have… however I tend to prefer reading an excerpt of the text to get a feel for the writing style and the type of reading it is to see if I think I will like it. A beautiful cover will always garner attention though.

Where do you usually buy your books? – Mostly through Amazon. I used to shop Borders or Barnes and Noble but there isn’t really one that convenient to where I live right now.

Do you go to the library? – Yes, but usually more so for my children.

How many books do you own? – Probably about 20-25. Not too many really. It’s definitely something I wish I did more of.

If you were to write a book about Second Life, which topic would you focus on? The social factor. I find it very interesting what motivates people to seek out others through a virtual world platform and all the different ways you can enjoy that interaction and how fulfilling that can be for people.

I will admit this meme was a little difficult for me because I’m not as much of a bookworm as I’d like to be. Maybe that’s something I can remedy in the future… there is something very relaxing and magical about being lost in a book I think. If you’d like to take part in this meme, check out Berry’s Blog for more information! Happy Reading!

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